73 Democratic lawmakers in the US Congress sent a letter to President Joe Biden, urging him to respect and support the political rights of the Palestinian people, and to undo Trump´s pro-Israel policies.
We commend your efforts to reach a ceasefire, and believe that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has no military solution, and can only be resolved through diplomacy and a negotiated two-state solution, which guarantees civil and political rights, safety and self-determination for both peoples.
The Representatives added, “To achieve this end, we urge you to reverse the decisions that led the previous administration to abandon the long-term policy of the United States, and we welcome the initial release of development and humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians, in addition to its inclusion in the budget request for the fiscal year 2022.”
In their letter, the representatives called for a number of steps to be taken to align US policy and ensure equal measures of freedom, dignity, security and prosperity for Israelis and Palestinians, the most important of which is the formal withdrawal of the previous administration’s peace plan, which paved the way for the unilateral annexation of the Palestinian territories and the reaffirmation of the principles of conflict resolution referred to by the House In Conference Resolution (H.Res.326) (116), and swiftly fulfill your welcoming commitment to reopening a separate US Consulate in Jerusalem.
The letter stressed the need for the United States to affirm that settlements are in violation of international law by reissuing relevant State Department and US Customs guidance on dealing with settlements on this basis.
The letter also called for opposing the policy of forced eviction and expulsion of Palestinian families from their homes in East Jerusalem, and throughout the Palestinian territories, and to ensure that all relevant official US documents and correspondence indicate once again that the West Bank and Gaza Strip are occupied territories.
The letter demanded the disbursement of all remaining financial aid allocated by Congress to the Palestinians without delay, and a firm public condemnation of all acts that violate the rights of either party or undermine the prospects for peace.
It is noteworthy that many Jewish lawmakers signed the letter, such as Shakovsky, including Representatives Andy
Levi, Jimmy Rasky, John Yarmouth, Sarah Jacobs, Alan Lowenthal, and Steve Kohei.
